Maddie gave a bitter smile as she closed the comment section on her latest novel. Writing had been her escape—a way to preserve the moments she shared with Rico. For years, she’d poured her heart into crafting a love story inspired by their bond, believing her characters could find the happiness she longed for.

But reality was different. Rico had chosen Jane. The dream Maddie clung to had shattered, leaving her grasping at memories that no longer felt real.

In her senior year of college, when Maddie’s biological parents finally found her, she made the difficult choice to stay by Rico’s side. She hadn’t told him about her family, fearing that her newfound completeness would only alienate him further. Maddie had sacrificed so much for Rico.

And what had she received in return?

Nothing but distance.

Rico had long since stepped out of the fragile bond they shared. Maddie was the only one left, trapped in a cage of her own making, guarding feelings that now felt like a lie.

She stared at her laptop screen, her chest tightening. With trembling fingers, she typed the title of her newest chapter: Leave.

***

After updating her novel, Maddie moved through the apartment like a ghost, packing her belongings. She placed her favorite clothes in a suitcase, then gathered the rest into large bags. Once her room was stripped of the little touches that made it hers, she sank onto the bed, exhausted.

Reaching into her nightstand, Maddie pulled out a worn photo album. She flipped through the pages, her fingers brushing over the glossy images.

She had always loved photography. As a child, she didn’t have the means to capture moments, but in college, she’d saved up from her writing income to buy a camera. Most of her photos were of Rico, frozen in candid moments like sitting by the dining room window, sunlight highlighting his features as he ate breakfast. Not only that, he was also lying on the balcony, a cigarette dangling lazily from his fingers, curling up on the sofa after a night of drinking, his expression soft in sleep, wearing an apron in the kitchen, brushing soap suds off a plate, and smiling reluctantly in a goofy birthday hat, his eyes shut tight as he made a wish.

Each photo had once made Maddie’s heart flutter. Now, they only deepened her ache.

Gripping a pair of scissors, Maddie prepared to cut the photos into pieces, but her phone buzzed, interrupting her.

***

Her best friend’s voice came through the line, frantic. “Maddie, have you seen your phone? You’re trending.”

“Trending?” Maddie asked, her brows knitting in confusion.

“Yes, someone uploaded a video of you standing outside Rico’s hotel yesterday, holding flowers and crying. Jane’s fans are all over it.” Lucy’s tone softened, worried. “They’re saying awful things. Don’t take it to heart, okay? You know how those fans are—they’ll attack anything that moves.”

Lucy had been Maddie’s college roommate and the only person who knew about her connection to Rico.

“I’ll take a look,” Maddie said quietly, slipping on her headphones as she opened the app.

The top trending hashtag blazed across the screen: #JaneHarperRicoHughesSoSweet. Below it, another topic hovered ominously: #RicoHughesSponsoredOrphan.

Her stomach dropped as she clicked the second tag.

Photos flooded her screen: A shot of her crying outside the hotel, flowers clutched tightly in her hands. Besides, there were images of her entering and leaving Rico’s apartment complex and a rare picture of her and Rico together as children at the orphanage.

The accompanying comments were cruel, each one like a dagger aimed at her heart:

“Who does she think she is? Rico took pity on her and paid for her education and now she’s clinging to him like a leech!”

“Does she seriously think she has a chance with him? What a delusional toad trying to eat a swan!”

“Rico belongs with Jane! This shameless woman needs to leave and stop embarrassing herself.”

“She’s so pathetic. Jane is classy and beautiful. Maddie is just… nothing.”

Maddie’s fingers hovered over the screen as she read the comments. Her throat tightened, but she refused to cry. Not again.

***

Setting her phone aside, Maddie leaned back in her chair, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Was this how the world saw her? A pathetic hanger-on, clinging to someone who no longer wanted her?

She had given up so much for Rico—her independence, her family, even her dignity. And now, the only thing she had left was the memory of what they once shared. Maddie’s heart burned with shame and anger.

For years, she had tried to preserve their bond through her writing, immortalizing their moments in a fictional world where love conquered all. But now, the reality was too stark to ignore. Rico had moved on. He had Jane.

And Maddie? She had nothing but the echoes of a past that no longer existed.

She exhaled shakily, turning back to her laptop. The comments section of her latest chapter was still open, filled with eager pleas from her readers:

“When will they finally realize they’re meant for each other?”

“Please don’t let the hero leave. The heroine needs him!”

“If you give them a sad ending, I’ll cry for a week!”

Maddie’s lips twisted into a bitter smile. They wanted a happy ending, but her life wasn’t a novel. Sometimes, the hero didn’t choose the heroine.

Sometimes, he walked away.

***

Maddie stared at her phone, her hand trembling as she scrolled through the venomous comments flooding the screen.

"Does anyone else think Maddie looks a bit like Jane? She has a tear mole under her right eye, too!"

"Seriously? Tear moles aren’t rare. If every girl with one looked like Jane, the world would be overrun with wannabe rivals."

"Let’s pressure Rico to get rid of her! Someone like Maddie doesn’t deserve to stay around him."

"If she doesn’t leave, let’s protest outside their neighborhood. She won’t dare step out!"

The cruel words made Maddie’s chest tighten. Her gaze shifted to the group photo from the orphanage sitting on her desk. Only two people could have leaked it: Rico or Jane.

Rico rarely mentioned his past in the orphanage to anyone. The only person who had been in her room recently was Jane. The betrayal hit her like a punch to the gut.

***

“Maddie, are you alright?” Lucy’s voice was laced with concern.

“I’m fine,” Maddie replied, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside her.

“Sweetheart, let me fly over. I can be there in two hours.”

“No need, Lucy,” Maddie said, “I’ll handle this myself.”

After hanging up, Maddie immediately dialed Rico’s number. The first call went unanswered. So did the second. By the third attempt, Maddie’s frustration turned to desperation. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he picked up.

His voice was calm, almost detached. “Maddie, I’m busy. What’s going on?”

“Rico,” Maddie began, her voice trembling. “Did you see the photo? The one Jane posted online?”

There was a pause and then Rico sighed. “Maddie, Jane didn’t mean any harm. She was just curious. She didn’t realize—”

“Stop.” Maddie’s voice cracked as she interrupted him. “She didn’t realize? Rico, that photo has the entire internet calling me a greedy, shameless woman. Do you think that’s okay?”

“Of course not,” Rico replied softly. “You’re my family, Maddie. You always have been. I’ll take care of you for the rest of your life. Don’t let this get to you.”

Her grip on the phone tightened. “So you think I’m the problem? That I’ve been too greedy? That I’m unworthy?”

Rico’s tone shifted to exasperation. “That’s not what I said. Maddie, I’ll talk to you when I get home, alright? I have things to do.”

Before she could respond, the line went dead.

***

Maddie collapsed onto her bed, clutching the phone against her chest. Tears streamed down her face as memories flooded her mind.

Once, Rico would have fought tooth and nail to defend her from anyone who dared speak ill of her. Now, even as the internet tore her apart, all he could offer was indifference and empty reassurances.

The bond she had cherished—their shared history, their childhood dependence on each other—meant nothing to him anymore.

To Rico, it seemed their connection was a relic of the past, not worth defending.

***

When Maddie woke the next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains. Her phone buzzed relentlessly with unread messages.

The first was from her older sister: [Maddie, I’ve had the hot search suppressed. Don’t worry—I’ll take care of everything when you’re home.]

Her mother’s message followed: [Maddie, do you want your father and me to issue a statement? We can let the public know you’re part of the Evans Family, not an orphan.]

Next came Lucy: [Maddie, the hot search about you is gone. It looks like Rico still cares about you, even if he has a girlfriend now.]

And then Jane’s message, dripping with mockery: [Wow, Maddie. It must be nice to have Rico spend so much money to clean up your mess. How did you manage that?]

Maddie clenched her jaw, her emotions roiling. The cleanup wasn’t for her sake. It was to protect Rico’s image.

***

Maddie sat in silence, rereading the messages. Each one brought a different weight to her chest—her sister’s protective nature, her mother’s concern, Lucy’s optimism and Jane’s taunts.

She had spent her life believing in the strength of her bond with Rico. Now, it felt as though every piece of that connection had crumbled.

For years, she had been his shadow, supporting him, waiting for a place in his world. But Maddie realized something now: Rico had outgrown their shared past. And if she didn’t walk away, she would be stuck in a version of herself that no longer existed.

***

Maddie sat on the edge of her bed, staring at her phone. The social media frenzy that had consumed her yesterday was now eerily silent. Every scathing post, every cruel comment and even the leaked photo were gone, wiped clean as if they had never existed.

But Maddie knew this wasn’t Rico’s doing. This time, the one standing behind her wasn’t the man she had spent years trusting—it was her sister.

"Thank you," Maddie texted, her fingers trembling.

A moment later, she sent another message to her mom: [Don’t worry about me too much. Once I’m back in Haichester, I’ll let you introduce me to someone new.]

Her mother’s reply came almost instantly: [Alright, sweetheart. Mom is counting down the days until you’re home.]

The image of her mother waiting by her phone, anxious for a response, made Maddie’s eyes sting. This was what she had been missing all along—a sense of family, love without conditions, a place where she was wanted.

***

Maddie was about to reply to Lucy when her phone buzzed with an incoming call.

“Maddie! You scared me half to death,” Lucy exclaimed, her tone frantic. “Why didn’t you answer my messages? I thought something had happened to you!”

“What could possibly happen to me?” Maddie replied with forced lightness, trying to put her friend at ease.

“Well, Rico took down the hot search, didn’t he? That must mean something. You’re not as upset now, right?”

Maddie hesitated, her voice softening. “Lucy, it wasn’t Rico. It was my sister who handled it. And honestly, I’ve stopped caring about Rico. I’m getting ready to go home.”

The words barely left her mouth when a knock came at the door.

“Maddie, breakfast is ready,” Rico’s voice called from the other side.

Her heart jolted. She had slept so deeply the night before that she hadn’t heard him return. Panicking, she quickly ended the call with Lucy and opened the door.

***

Rico stood outside, dressed casually in his pajamas. His dark hair was tousled and his expression was unreadable.

“You said you’re going home?” he asked, his tone sharp.

Maddie’s mind raced. “You misheard,” she said quickly. “It was Lucy who’s going home.”

Before Rico could press further, a soft voice floated in from the kitchen.

“Rico, has Maddie gotten up yet? Breakfast is ready!”

Jane appeared, balancing a plate in her hands, wearing Rico’s shirt from the night before. She beamed at Maddie as though the previous day’s chaos had never happened.

“Good morning, Maddie!”

Maddie bit back a bitter retort. “You two enjoy. I’m not hungry.” She turned to close the door, but Rico grabbed her arm.

“Don’t be rude,” he said, frowning. “Jane worked so hard to make breakfast despite her burned foot. She even woke up early to cook for you and you won’t eat?”

***

A laugh burst from Maddie’s lips—sharp, bitter and uncontrollable. The emotions she had buried for so long finally erupted, spilling out in a flood of anger and heartbreak.

“Rude? You’re calling me rude?” Her voice trembled, but it was steady enough to cut through the air. “Rico, it was Jane who bumped into me yesterday. But you didn’t even care to ask what happened. You blamed me—me! And now you’re talking about her burned foot? Did you know I had to get stitches? Did you know I needed a tetanus shot? Of course not. You didn’t even notice!”

Rico froze, his eyes dropping to her feet. For the first time, he noticed the thick gauze wrapped around her right foot. Maddie was barefoot, standing on the cold floor and tears fell silently, splashing against the ground.

“I didn’t know…” he murmured, his voice tinged with guilt. He moved as if to crouch down and examine her injury, but Jane quickly intervened.

“I’m so sorry!” Jane’s voice quivered with practiced regret. She stepped beside Rico, her face a picture of remorse. “I had no idea you were hurt. I didn’t mean to bump into you yesterday—I swear!”

Maddie’s jaw clenched as she watched Jane’s theatrics. The sweet, apologetic tone was for Rico’s benefit, not hers.

***

Maddie’s chest heaved as she took a step back, leaning against the doorframe for support. “Save it, Jane,” she said coldly, her voice sharp enough to slice through the air. “You’ve done enough.”

Rico glanced between the two women, conflicted. “Maddie, she didn’t mean any harm—”

“No, Rico.” Maddie’s voice cracked, but she held his gaze. “You didn’t mean any harm either, right? But every time Jane hurts me, you’re the first to defend her. Every time I need you, you’re too busy. Do you know what that feels like?”

He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out.

“I’m done,” Maddie whispered, her voice barely audible. “I’m done waiting for you to care.”